HAYEK, Friedrich August von.
The Road to Serfdom [Abridged Edition].London: George Routledge & Sons Ltd., 1946 - Octavo. Original white paper wrappers lettered in blue. Rear wrapper a little chipped at foot, spine very lightly rubbed. Light spotting and paper a little browned; a very good copy. Repricing sticker (3' 6 net rather than 2/6 net) to front wrapper. First abridged edition of Hayek's Road to Serfdom, originally published in 1944. "To this Preface of the original editon, published in March 1944, only a few words need be added in explanation of the present ABRIDGED EDITION. Although a cheap edition of the complete book has already been issued . many friends have urged on me the desirability of a shorter and still cheaper edition for those who can spare neither the time nor the money for the longer book. In addition, war-time restrictions still make it impossible fully to meet the demand for the complete version and by cutting the length of the book by about one-half, twice the number of copies can be produced from a given stock of paper. When, finally, a friend even offered to prepare for me the abridgement. I accepted . I hope that by the process of condensation the book has also become easier to read, though the problems with which it deals are inevitably difficult and for their adequate treatment the original book would have to be made much longer rather than shorter" (p. 8). See Cody & Ostrem B-6. Copac locates only 3 copies, at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and at the National Library of Wales. [Attributes: First Edition]
[Bookseller: Peter Harrington. ABA member]